Council to Create Educational Assistance Program and Veterans Services Fund

Committee Meetings on Charter Amendments Continue

Educational Assistance Program
At its July 10, 5 p.m. meeting, Cuyahoga County Council is set to create the first post-secondary Cuyahoga County Educational Assistance Program for County residents. Mandated by the voter-adopted Charter, this initial component will provide funding for job training or retraining, and allow residents within 12 credit hours of completion of a degree to apply for funds.

Council Member Julian Rogers led the effort to establish the program: “This is the first step in what we expect to be a comprehensive program of post-secondary educational assistance for county residents. Council will continue to develop this program in consultation with the administration and community partners.”

Veterans Services Fund
Council is also expected to approve a new Veterans Service Fund. Under Ohio law, the county’s Veterans Service Commission (VSC) is entitled to a percentage of the county budget to serve veterans. Because the VSC has not spent all of its annual funding, it returned upwards of $1 million in 2010 and another $500,000 in 2011 to the county’s general fund. Council plans to ensure that those designated funds are reserved and fund needed services for veterans.

Charter Amendments
Council’s Rules Committee will meet at 11 a.m. to discuss three possible Charter amendments. At 1 p.m., Council’s Committee of the Whole will meet to further discuss the Charter amendments

All meetings are open to the public and available via live stream video. For more information, please visit our website at www.council.cuyahogacounty.us/